Pneumatic device for clearing railway-track-sanding pipes.



No1-@algal Patsnted Sept. I9, |899'.

v .1., H. HANLCN. vPNEUMATIC DEVICE FUR CLEARING RAILWAY TRACK SANDINGPIPES.

(Application med Apr. 26, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT M JOHN HENRY HANLON, OF BOSTON, MASSAOHUSE'FTS,ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLTAM JAMES HANLON, OF FITOHBURG,MASSAOHUSF/l" `S.

PNEUMATIC DEVICE FOR CLEARING RAILWAY-TRACK-SANDING PiPES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 633,193, dated September19, 1899.

Application filed April 25,1899. Serial No. 714,433. (No model.)

To (r/ZZ 11171/0771/ it nza/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY HANLON, a citizen ot' the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a Pneumatic Device for Clearing Railway-Track-SandingPipes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for sanding rails, and has for itsobject to prevent the tip or delivery end of the sand-pipe from becoming clogged or obstructed by the packing of the sand at this point,which frequently happens by reason of moisture collecting on the insideot' the pipe at the tip, which da1npens the sand and causes it to stickto the moist surface, thereby clogging the outlet or discharge openingand preventing the pas sage of the sand to the rail. To overcome thisdifficulty is the object of my invention, which consists in a noveldevice whereby a blast of air is introduced within the tip or outlet ofthe sand-pipe to clear the saine, if obstructed, as hereinafter morefully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section ofthe lower portion of a locomotive track sanding pipe having my pneumaticclearing tip or nozzle applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on theline 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a diagram representing the manner in whichthe tips or lower ends of the two sand-pipes on opposite sides 'of alocomotive or car arevconnected by a transversebraced pipe communicatingwith the compressed-air pipe. Fig. t is a longitudinal section of amodified form of my tip or nozzle. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5of Fig. 4.

In the said drawings, A represents a portion of one of thedriving-wheels of a locomotive or car, and B the track-sanding pipe,placed, as usual, in front of the said wheel. To the lower end of vthepipe B is screwed a tip or nozzle through which the vsand is deliveredto the rail beneath, said tip consisting of an outer tubular shell orcasing O, having on one side a branch outlet d, into which is screwed apipe b, extending across to and connected with a similar tip or nozzle Con the opposite side of the locomotive or car, as shown in Fig. 3, thepipe l) being connected at any desired portion of its length with a com6pressed-air-supply pipe (l, leading lfrom the main reservoir and undercontrol of the engineer, whereby air is supplied to both tips at thesame time. The cross-over pipe Z) is 'connected with the frame of theengine or car by means of suitable braces 5, whereby the two sand-pipesare held securely in the proper position with their tips or nozzlesdirectlyin line with the rails.

NVithin the outer casing C is placed an inner tube D, of such diameteras to leave an annular air space or chamber c between it and theinterior of the casing C, said chainber being connected by the outlet dwith the air-pipe b and being closed at the top by a washerf, interposedbetween the sand-pipe B and the tube D, and at the bottom by a cap G,screwed onto thelower end of the tube C and provided with a centralaperture 6 of the same diameter as the interior of the tube D, said caphaving a beveled recess l0, forming a seat for the reception of thecorrespondingly-beveled end of the tube D, which is thus supported andheld securely in place, its upper end being inwardly beveled and littedover the correspondingly-beveled lower end of the wasl1erf,ball-jointsbeing thus formed at thetop and bottom of the tube D, whereby allleakage of air is prevented. The upper end of the washerfbears againstthe lower end of the sand-pipe B, as shown in Fig. l. The inner tube Dis provided with perforations t', preferably on the side or half onlywhich lies nearest to the wheel A, said perforations affording a passagefor the escape of the air into the interior of the tube D when admittedto the chamber e, the blast thus produced serving to eftectually clearsaid tube in case it should have become clogged or obstructed by thepacking of the sand by reason of its having become wet or damp frommoisture collected on the inside of the tube or from other cause, anevent of frequent occurrence in the ordinary sandpipes, which has causedmany accidents, owing to the impossibility of applying sand to the railsat the instant required. It will be seen that the perforations t', whichmay be of any suitable shape, cause the air-blast to be uniformlydistributed from the top to the IOC bottom of the tube D, thus clearingall parts of the same and insuring a free delivery of the sand to therail at the desired instant. It the perforations i extended around onall sides of the tube D, those on the outer side or farthest from thewheel A would be liable to become obstructed by the lodgment of sandtherein, owing to the inclination of the end of the sand-pipe tocorrespond to the curvature of the periphery of the wheel A. Hence Iprefer to place these perforations only on the inner half of thecircumference of the tube D, as shown, whereby the best results areobtained.

By connecting the two sand-pipes by means of across-overair-pipc b,extending from one tip or nozzle to the other and held by braces, asshown, a great advantage is gained, as all liability of one of the pipesbeing bent out of line with its rail while the other remains in place isavoided and the consequent danger of supplying one rail with sand andnot the other eitectually prevented, the latter being often the cause ofStrain or breakage of the machinery.

Instead of providing the tip or nozzle with an annular air space orchamber formed between an outer shell or casing and an inner perforatedtube, as above described, the nozzle lnay be formed of a single tube, asshown in Figs. 4- and 5, having a partition k extending across itsinterior, forming an air space or chamber c adjoining the sand outlet orpassage and on one side only of the same, said partition being providedwith perforations t' through which the air may pass from the airchamberc to the Sand-passage in the same manner as in the tip tirst described.The airchamber e is closed at the top and bottom, as shown, and isconnected with the air-pipe Z), whereby it is supplied with air at therequired times. l

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

I. In a track-sanding device, the combination with the sand-pipe, of atip or discharge nozzle consisting of an outer shell or easing adaptedto be connected with a pipe for containing air under pressure, and aninner perforated tube open at both ends, and forming thedischarge-outlet for the sand, said perforated tube being arrangedwithin the outer casing to form an air space or chamber between the two,whereby the air is caused to pass from the air-chamber outwardly throughthe perforations of lthe inner tube, to keep said tube free and clearfor the passage of sand to the rail, substantially as described.

2. A sand-pipe tip or discharge-nozzle for track-sanding devices,comprising an outer tubular memberadapted to be connected with a pipefor containing air under pressure, an inner tubular member open at bothends, and arranged within the outer casing to form an air space orchamber between said two members closed at the top and bottom, saidinner tubular member forming the outlet or discharge pipe for conductingthe sand to the rail, and having perforations on one side for thepassage of the air from the air-chamber to its interior, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination with a track-sanding pipe, of a tip or nozzle securedto the lower end of the same, said tip consisting of an outer tubularshell or casing having on one side a branch connection with a pipe forcontaining air under pressure, an inner perforated tube arranged withinthe outer casing to form an air space or chamber between the two, awasher interposed between the bottom of the sand-pipe and the adjacentend of the inner perforated tube to close the top of the air-ehaniber,and a cap fitted to the bottom of the tube, and having a seat forreceiving the lower end of the inner tube, Said cap closing the bottomof the air-chamber, and having a central aperture for the passage of thesand to the rail, substantially as described.

4. In a track-sanding device, the combination with two track-sandingpipes, each having a tip or nozzle provided with a delivery passage oroutlet for the sand, and an adjoining air space or chamber having itswall perforated for the passage of the air from the air-chamber to thesand-passage, of an airpipe extending from one tip to the other, andconnecting their air-chambers, said connecting-pipe bracing and holdingthe tips in position over the rails, and being connected with acompressed-air-supply pipe, substantially as described.

Witness my hand this 22d day of April, A. D. 1895).

JOHN HENRY HANLON.

In presence of- P. E. TEscHEMAcHEa, M. B. WILSON.

ICO

